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July 28, 2005 My online dictionary provides this definition for “debunk”: de·bunk (d-bngk) tr.v. de·bunked, de·bunk·ing, de·bunks To expose or ridicule the falseness, sham, or exaggerated claims of: debunk a supposed miracle drug. When Mr. Graham first blubbered his ridiculous charge that news coverage of Natalee Holloway’s disappearance was racially motivated, in his article “Natalee Holloway and Missing Black Women,” I “exposed or ridiculed the falseness, sham, and exaggeration” of his claim – i.e. I debunked his article. And quite well apparently - none of my dozens of UK articles have elicited as many emails in support as did that post (well over 20, several from blacks). But it wasn’t enough to embarrass him into silence; today he returns with the same malarky in his post, “Blogger Helps in the Search for Missing Black Woman.” Here is his statement: “in America, race still plays a part in what we see and hear in the press, and who is likely to get that press. That’s a fact of life that cannot be debunked.” Apparently, Mr. Graham would not know he’d been debunked if it slapped him across the face. Because he includes those words, and from the overall tone of his post, I believe he did read my article. So why does he not address my charges of “falseness, sham, and exaggeration” against him? I can only guess either cowardice or an obstinate and egotistic belief in his infallibility. Most reasonable, intelligent people would have either acknowledged the truth of my words or answered with additional information overwhelming my logic. Mr. Graham simply ignores and continues blubbering – surely not the sign of a reasonable, intelligent person confident in their superior argument. I provided several analogies in my first debunk – to no avail. Perhaps they were too deep for Mr. Graham, let me try again: To claim that the entire Mass Media do not publicize the plight of missing black women out of a shared racism is as absurd as me claiming the media discriminates against elders because they won’t let me appear on Saturday Night Live lip-synching like Ashlee Simpson did. In fact, when have any old white lip-synchers appeared on any TV show? And why don’t they televise our basketball games down at the Y? Is it because we’re old white guys and they’re racist? Isn’t the NBA largely composed of blacks? It’s on TV and in the newspaper every season. What would it take to make Mr. Graham understand that news stories are chosen for their ability to generate ratings and sell issues. I’ve noted headlines about Paris Hilton’s little white dog – but where are the stories about my little black dog? Could it be that few people give a rat’s tush about my dog. In the paranoid world of Mr. Graham, it doesn’t matter whether the TV station or newspaper goes bankrupt from printing/broadcasting stories that few people want to hear, as long as they publicize the stories he wants. The fact is there might be some racism at play here – and I’m not talking about Mr. Graham’s. If any racism exists, and I suspect it’s very little, it is in the minds of the readers and viewers who are not interested in stories of missing black women. I am very confident in the media’s ability to accurately, and scientifically, predict which stories generate interest. If they’ve chosen not to publicize missing black women, I feel positive that a lack of interest is why. If I can offer any encouragement to Mr. Graham, I would tell him that there are many whites who are frustrated by the media’s decision to inundate us, at times, with black culture. Have you heard all the hip-hop music dominating the airwaves? Do you honestly believe that ‘music’ genre deserves its presence based on its excellent composition and lyrics – just as you believe missing black women deserve to have their stories on the network news? It doesn’t – hip-hop blares across the airwaves because it pulls ratings and sells commercials. Stories of missing black women aren’t because they don’t. Now, can this subject just die? I’ll stop “debunking” your articles as the sham that they are, if you’ll stop posting them. It would be easy. For example, your article today was excellent in its description of the blogger’s fine work to publicize the missing woman – until you foolishly played the racist card again. Just stop. Or, in fairness, start posting articles, as well, about the dearth of white basketball players in the news, or white hip hop artists. Or, point out how racist BET, Jet, Ebony, and the other Black-centric media are. When’s the last time one of those outlets publicized a missing white woman? ------------ About the author: Ron Lewis is a software salesman extraordinaire, albeit habitually unemployed, with no significant accomplishments at age 47 other than two wonderfully talented children who take after their mother. All his friends note his keen insight, bad eyesight, doggedly jaded disposition, and rugged bad looks. A third person seems to recall that he talks too much. Email: grnacres@direcway.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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